/A/- ORGANISATION DU TRAITE NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY DE L'ATLANTIQUE NORD ORGANIZATION

LE SECRETAIRE GENERAL BOULEVARD LEOPOLD III SECRETARY GENERAL B-1 11O BRUXELLES

The Rt. Hon. Lord Robertson of Port Ellen SG(2001)0501 07 May 2001 ili MAYr5200l

Dear Secretary-General,

In accordance with paragraph 20 of UN Security Council Resolution 1244, I attach a report on KFOR operations covering the period 1 to 31 March 2001, as a contribution to your report to the Security Council.

Yours sincerely,

His Excellency H i t ft I 1 1 ftl Mr Kofi A. Annan Secretary-General MAY 1 5 2«M 1 United Nations Headquarters United Nations Plaza 2 New York 10017 fttSG/CENTRAl U.S.A. Fax: 001 2129632155 -1-

Monthly report to the United Nations on KFOR OperationsSubject 1. Over the reporting period (1 to 31 March 2001) there were approximately 43,000 KFOR troops in theatre, with no major changes in deployment since the last report.

2. The conditional and controlled return of FRY forces into the Ground Safety Zone (GSZ) began during the reporting period. FRY forces' entry into sector C(East) began on 14 March, and entry into sectors A and C(West) was completed on 26 March.

3. During March, over 130 Kosovar Albanian prisoners were released back into at Gate 3 under ICRC arrangements as part of the FRY prisoners' release programme.

Security

4. During the reporting period, the escalation of violence in the northern region of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia1 added a new dimension to the security situation in Kosovo. Acts of violence took place in Mitrovica as well as across the province between ethnic groups. In addition, exchanges continued between Ethnic Albanian Armed Groups (EAAG) and FRY forces in the Presevo Valley and in the Ground Safety Zone (GSZ).

5. Following incidents in the northern part of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, the border crossing points of Blace and Globocica were closed by the FYROM authorities on 4 March. The crossing points were re-opened a few days later, but restrictions on movement imposed by the authorities affected both KFOR's logistical re-supply to the Multi-National Brigades (MNB), and contractors supporting UNMIK operations. On 7 March, KFOR soldiers who were targeted by members of the EAAG during a search operation in Mijak wounded two of the attackers in self defence. On 29 March, KFOR forces in the Kosovo village of Krivenic came under fire by unknown forces. Two civilians were killed and 10 were injured during the attack. 6. Inter-ethnic intimidation continued during the reporting period. At the beginning of March, two elderly Kosovar Serbs were found beaten to death in Carakovce. Other violence included explosions or grenade attacks on several Kosovar Serb houses and other property in the areas of Vitina, Dragas and Gnijlane. On 23 March a Kosovar Albanian man was shot dead in Trnovac.

7. The situation in Mitrovica remains tense. On 1 March, there were two separate incidents. In the first, a crowd of 30 Kosovar Serbs threatened KFOR and UNMIK personnel when they stopped a car in the north of the town. The crowd attacked the KFOR and UNMIK vehicles with sticks. In the second incident, an UNMIK vehicle was surrounded by some 50 to 60 Kosovar Serbs who dragged an UNMIK policeman and a Kosovar Serb interpreter from the car. The interpreter fled,

1 Turkey recognises the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.

-1- -2- but the policeman was beaten and had his weapon and radio stolen. On 5 March near Srbica, KFOR forces cooperating with UNMIK police and KPC members provided security during a commemorative gathering in Prekaze attended by 15,000 Kosovar Albanians which included 700 KPC members. Two men were wounded in the crowd, one of whom died from a shot to the head. On 9 March, several incidents ranging from stone throwing to starting fires took place in the "Three Towers" and "Montmartre" areas of the city. On 18 March, KFOR increased its presence to quell a tense situation following the sentencing of a Kosovar Serb to 30 days in jail for attacking two UNMIK policemen at the beginning of the month.

8. In a new initiative to improve the security situation in Mitrovica, meetings between COMKFOR, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General, Serbian Deputy Prime Minister Covic and Mitrovica Serbs took place in conjunction with UNMIK and KFOR. A working group was established to begin planning on 13 March.

9. The last of the demonstrations against the "Nis Express" bombing incident took place in Gracanica (Multi-National Brigade (Centre) (MNB(C) on 1 March, during which three Kosovar Albanian cars and a bus were stoned by the crowd. On 5 March, the UNHCR re-started the first two of 11 bus routes in the enclaves near Gnjilane. On 19 March, KFOR and UNMIK arrested 5 Albanians suspected of involvement in the "Nis Express" incident.

10. A riot of two to three hundred Kosovar Serbs took place in Paries on 12 March, when three vehicles were set on fire. Daily demonstrations of large numbers of Kosovar Albanians took place peacefully, and in the last week of the reporting period, in Decane, , , Glogovac, Kamenica, and Srbica, Kosovar Albanians demonstrated in support of the actions of EAAGs in the the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia or against the Krivenik incident. 11. Regarding other activities, on 4 March Multinational Specialised Unit (MSU) personnel seized 32 tons of cigarettes in a warehouse in Pristina, the caretaker was arrested, and three people were reported to the investigating judge.

12. During the period, KFOR troops uncovered and confiscated significant amounts of weapons, ammunition and explosives, ranging from rifles to rockets and mines, in or near Letnica, Kraljane, Gnjilane, Patina, Brezna, Vitina, Donje Zlokcane and Dabedic Mahala. At least 18 Kosovar Albanians involved in the incidents were detained. The weapons destruction programme will resume once the necessary repairs to the weapons destruction facility have been undertaken.

Illegal Border Activity

13. KFOR troops continued to provide appropriate control of Kosovo's internal boundaries, external borders and recognized crossing points. KFOR reinforced control on the external border with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to deter and interdict cross-border infiltration. In the first part of the reporting period, about 25 suspected National Liberation Army/EAAG members were detained, and during the last 10 days of March, over 200 suspected members were detained, and quantities of arms, mines, grenades and radios confiscated.

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14. In the Presevo Valley and throughout the GSZ, firefights, small arms and mortar fire were reported on a daily basis. A ceasefire was negotiated following heavy armed exchanges, but was breached several times. The areas most concerned were Lucane, Car, , Sveti Ilija, Gornji Vrtogos, Maxhere, , , , , and Konculj Janovac. The heaviest fighting took place between 9 and 12 March and again between 24 and 28 March. On 7 March, FRY forces were involved in a land mine accident in Orovica, just outside the GSZ, killing two and injuring two others. EAAGs confirmed their responsibility in the seizure of four Serbs from Trnovac on 3 March, and captured two VJ soldiers on 22 March bringing the number of Serb hostages being held by the EAAG/UCPMB to six. There have been numerous reports of groups of armed men in black battle dress moving around in the GSZ and involved in trench construction, re-supplying, training, and laying defensive minefields. 15. KFOR continued to take action to prevent the illegal flow of supplies from inside Kosovo, increased its monitoring of the boundary, and refused to allow ethnic Albanian males of military age to cross into the Presevo Valley.

UNSCR1160

16. Although KFOR operations continue to result in weapons seizures there have been no reported violations of UNSCR 1160.

Cooperation and Compliance by the Parties

17. Over the reporting period, there were no cases reported of non-compliance among the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC). The KPC personnel establishment stands at 4,667 members of which 115 are from ethnic minorities. Thirty new members were included in March. The initiative to have all KPC members registered with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and to have personal data verified continues.

18. The Restructuring and Training Plan for the demobilisation and transformation of the KPC reservists was discussed at the second joint KFOR-KPC Commanders' Conference held on 27 March. The new UNMIK KPC Administrator is responsible for ensuring continuity and consistency in UNMIK's dealings with the KPC. The IOM continues to approve KPC-related projects which include community humanitarian initiatives and small improvements to KPC infrastructure. The KPC's engagement in humanitarian work projects continues. Fifty-four out of 72 projects have been approved, of which 39 deal with humanitarian and 15 with infrastructure issues. Currently, the KPC is developing plans for the "Clean Up Kosovo Day" campaign.

19. FRY security forces remain in general compliance with the terms of the Military Technical Agreement.

Cooperation with International Organizations

20. KFOR continues to provide daily assistance to International Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) throughout Kosovo, on request, and

-3- -4- to provide security assistance in support of UNMIK police operations. In addition, KFOR troops continue to support safe conditions for minority returns, and to advise and assist the OSCE in planning for the Kosovo-wide elections. The transfer of railway operations from KFOR to UNMIK took place on 2 March after being under military control since July 1999.

Return of Refugees and Displaced Persons

21. Following UNMIK's appeal last winter that returns be postponed until Spring 2001, only 1,475 refugees and displaced persons returned to Kosovo in January and February. Refugee returns in March had increased to 1,720.

22. UNHCR estimates that 8,500 refugees from the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia made their way into Kosovo during February and March, largely in response to the armed activities of the EAAGs.

Outlook 23. The security situation in Kosovo has been adversely affected by the violence in the northern area of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and has increased the risk to KFOR personnel.

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